Friends and Enemies Chapters 1 and 2
by Heidi1
Summary: Sequel to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST IN LA
1. Default Chapter

This story is based on the characters from the movie "The Fast and The Furious", none of which I own. All other characters are my own, as well as this story. If anyone has an overwhelming urge to sue, I suggest you find someone with more money.  
  
This story is the continuation of "TFATF", and the only exception is that Jesse survived.  
  
FEEDBACK, please  
  
FRIENDS AND ENEMIES, SEQUEL TO I BELONG TO YOU by Heidi  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Nikki woke up slowly, stretching and smiling. It was nearly 8 a.m. God, she loved how good sleep felt, how good it felt to sink into it and stay in it. Her twelve week old daughter, Daisy Dominique Toretto, got her out of bed every single morning at 6 a.m. sharp. She had explained the theory of sleeping in to Daisy, but she just didn't seem interested in the idea. Not that Dom didn't help -- he was usually up at that time anyway, getting ready to go to work, but every week-end he left her sleep in and got up before the baby would make a sound. Nikki listened to the soft sounds coming from the nursery and pushed the door open slowly. Tears actually filled her eyes -- this scene was almost more beauty than her heart could take. Dominic, her muscle bound, tough-guy, rough-neck trouble maker was sitting in a rocker, feeding his tiny daughter, her fist wrapped around one of her father's fingers. He was so incredibly gentle with the baby, so protective -- the way he was with her. Like they were precious diamonds, precious crystal that had to be taken care of and he had taken on this role so beautifully. "Good morning." "Hey, beautiful. Did you enjoy sleeping in?" She walked over and kissed her daughter and then her husband. "Very much -- it was lovely." She stretched and he let his eyes move over her nightgown clad body. She had changed since the birth of the baby -- before she was born Nikki was all hard muscle and had such perfection. Now she was curvier -- her breasts and breasts were rounder and fuller, and she had a tiny little pooch instead of the six pack muscles in her abdomen. It was invisible to the eye but he could feel it when he ran his hand over her naked flesh. She claimed she wanted to get the six pack back but never worked out -- she knew it turned him on even more than the hard muscle had. She could still put any supermodel to shame but in Dom's eyes, she had been a girl, now she was a woman and it excited him to no end. He wondered about people who said that sex changed or slowed down after the birth of a baby -- for them, they couldn't even wait the six weeks they were supposed to and it had gotten only better and better and her appetite for sex had always been over the top but now .... he wondered if he could keep up with her sometimes. She was wilder than ever and it was all for him. "How's our daughter?" She sat down on the floor across from the rocker and he smiled, looking down at the auburn haired, charcoal eyed baby girl. "Three months going on sixteen years, I think. She's gonna have trouble with her old man when all those boys come sniffing around." Dom smiled staring down at her. His little Daisy -- perfect in every way and without a doubt the most beautiful baby that had ever been born. Even the nurses at the hospital said so. "I already feel sorry for them." Nikki laughed, thinking about Daisy introducing boys to a man built like her father. She couldn't really imagine Dominic looking any different in sixteen years than he did now. "She's ready to hit the crib. We played and read and I explained to her about how nasty boys are and how she was born. She was very interested to discover she was made in the backseat of a truck, her mother in stiletto heels, a leather mini skirt, and no panties." Dom laughed quietly, smirking proudly at the memory, and Nikki smiled. "You're insane. I am married to an insane man." Nikki stood up and took the nearly sleeping baby out of her husband's arms. She sat the bottle down and burped her and put her in the crib. She was such a good baby, such a good sleeper. "So is the bed still warm, I was thinking we could make it really hot. Maybe you could put those heels on again -- just the heels." Dom growled into her ear, grabbed her around the waist and they stood staring down at their child. His hands roamed over her breasts and she tried to keep in a moan. "You are a pervert, as I've told you many times before." "And I've proven it many times before, Mrs. Toretto and I'd like my chance to prove again right now." She turned in his arms and kissed him. Her own private Adonis -- she actually burned like fire for him. Now where the hell were those stilettos?  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
A few hours later, Dominic and Nikki were seated in the newly expanded kitchen, Daisy in her swing, and they were fixing lunch. "I still can't get over Mia being pregnant. I'm so happy for her. She loves Daisy so much -- she's going to make a fantastic mother." "Yeah, I know. She's always had that "mom" quality to her -- even when she was a little girl. I'm glad that she and Brian got that house just two doors down from us although sometimes I really miss living with her. This house used to seem small when all those people lived here -- now it is just the three of us -- other than Leon and Jesse in the back house." Dom smiled at her. "Mia and I had some tough years, ya know, but Mia rose above it." Nikki reached up and touched his cheek. "As did you. Dominic you are a magnificent father -- she worships you." He smiled but didn't look up. She was Daddy's girl but her mother's soul. "Dominic Toretto! I thought you were doing the dishes last night?" "I did do them." Dom looked over at the sink that was full of bubbles. Before he could say anything Nikki reached in and let out a scream. She pulled out her hand, which was bleeding profusely. "What the hell??" He grabbed her arm and looked at it closely. "Dom, the sink is full of broken glass." The baby was screaming and Nikki pushed him toward her -- he grabbed a bottle of water and gave it to the baby and went back to Nikki's arm. "Do you think you have any glass in here?" She shook her head no and he lightly ran his hand over her arm, feeling it and making sure. He pulled out a first aid kit from under the sink and cleaned it and wrapped it in a towel because it was still bleeding. "Hold it tight. How the hell could this sink be filled with bubbles if I emptied it last night?? And where did the glass come from??" He reached in slowly, it was truly filled and he pushed slowly until he got to the stopper and pulled it out. The bubbles and water went down the drain and Nikki and Dom stood staring at the sink -- it was filled with broken glass -- beer bottles, glasses, soda bottles. "Oh my god. Who would do this? How?" Dom walked over to the backdoor -- it was locked -- he checked the front and it was also locked. "I'm frightened." Dom took her in his arms and held her tightly. "Don't be -- someone's idea of a sick joke." "No, it wasn't -- this was intended to hurt someone. Whoever did this knew I would reach in." "Or me." She shook her head. "You were supposed to be at the garage today, remember? Our little wrestle in the sheets and you called in sick ... again." She couldn't help smiling. Dom had taken off a lot of time from the garage since Daisy had been born -- he loved being home with them. "Dominic, whoever did this, did it while we were upstairs making love, while our baby girl slept in her crib down the hall." She shuddered in his arms. "You know what? I want you to take Daisy and go upstairs to our bedroom and I'm gonna go over this house inch by inch. You're right -- that's when they were in here and had to have heard us and knew we were preoccupied and did this. So they did know that we were both home but you were more than likely the target. This makes me so fucking furious." He kissed her head but didn't let her go right away. They both stood there, looking at the sink, at the baby, at their home. "Let me put some bandages on that arm -- you aren't bleeding as much. Does it hurt?" She nodded and he got her two Tylenol and a glass of juice. He dressed her cuts and kissed her fingertips. "Go ahead -- take my little girl and get your cute ass upstairs. I'll be up in a little bit. Don't answer the phone." "Why????????" "I don't know, Nik -- I'm a little paranoid right now." Nikki picked up the baby and they went upstairs. Dom started in the kitchen, first cleaning out the sink very slowly, looking at the bottle labels -- every kind of beer, not just the Corona he kept in the house. There was Jack Daniels and Cuero and Pepsi and Coke. The glasses were black -- they didn't have anything like this in the house. It was bizarre. Then Dom started in the kitchen -- the windows were locked, the door -- he checked it again. He opened it and went into the backyard -- everything was as it always was -- the table in the same place with the hurricane candles on it. The barbeque, the chairs, the lights that connected to the house that Jesse and Leon shared. His garage that his old charger used to be in was still locked, his truck and Nikki's Benz looked fine but he knew he'd check them later. The door lock and screen had not been tampered with. Dominic went back inside and locked the door. He went into the dining room and then the living room -- nothing was out of place. He walked out front and noticed a rose tucked into the pot of daisies that sat out there. He picked it up -- it was unusually dark -- almost black. It definitely hadn't been in there yesterday -- Nikki had just bought the pot yesterday morning. Nothing else was changed. He put the rose into his pocket and walked back in the house, locking the door behind him. Dom went down into the basement and everything in his weight room was normal. Upstairs he started in the guest room -- nothing. Next was the computer room -- nothing was different. He even checked his email, not sure of why. He was operating on automatic pilot at this point. Nothing on there but two emails -- one from Letty -- she was jabbering on and on about how cute Daisy was and how everyone was a big family and how her and Vince were getting along in their new house and she was calling Nikki later today. The other was from Mia -- she wanted to talk to him about their mother but wouldn't say what it was about. Dom made a mental note to call her later and then went back to checking the house. He checked the guest bathroom and then moved into their bedroom -- Nikki was laying on the bed with the baby next to her. She looked at him and he winked but didn't say anything. He checked all the windows and then the bathroom. Everything was normal. He went into the nursery next, his heart beating so hard in his chest he felt it could burst right through. He would gladly kill anyone who tried to hurt his loving wife or his precious child with his bare hands, he would happily spend the rest of his life in a jail cell than let the person go to the police -- Dominic was a man who believed that vengeance was his when it came to his family. Although he had spent hours in there with Daisy early, she had also slept for hours while he and Nikki were in bed. He looked everywhere in her room, but it was as always. Dom was finally satisfied and walked back into their bedroom and got into bed, the baby between them. She squealed in delight when Dom laid down next to her. He had to laugh and lifted her above him. "Be careful -- she's got a tummy full of milk and water." Nikki whispered and he laughed. "Who cares -- I've been puked on before -- by her ... and come to think of it, by you, when you had morning sickness." "Thanks for the reminder. Dominic, what's going on? Did you find anything?" "Nothing." He didn't mention the black rose. "Everything is locked up tight." He stood up with Daisy and put her into another swing they kept upstairs and turned it on. She was in her baby version of heaven, looking out their big window. He laid back down with Nikki and pulled her close. "Baby, I don't know what the fuck is going on or how it happened. It's bizarre -- we have no enemies that I know of -- and such a weird way to go after someone. Can we do something -- I need you to agree to something?" "Anything you say -- just keep us safe, all three of us. Especially Daisy." She snuggled even closer to Dom. "Let's keep this between the two of us, okay? No one on the team." "Why? Not even Mia and Brian?" "Not even them -- I don't know why -- I'm going on instinct here." "Dominic -- do you think it is one of our family? We've all been getting along -- hell, even Letty and I are so close." "Oh yeah, she sent me an email -- she said she'll call you later. I want you to check your email later and see if there is anything bizarre on there. But Nik, I don't necessarily think it is anyone in our family -- I mean, I know it isn't ...... but I just want it between us for now. Let's just say you cut your arm on a broken glass." "I did." She smiled at him and kissed him, running her hand down his chest. She felt so safe -- she was scared but at the same time, totally safe in Dom's arms. Suddenly she felt something and it wasn't what she expected. "Ouch!" He looked at her and she lifted her finger -- she had pricked her finger on the thorn of the rose in his pocket. "I'm so horny." It was a weak attempt at a joke and he knew it. "Dom, what is in your pocket?" He reached down and pulled the black rose out. Nikki recoiled from it. "What the hell is that?" "I don't know -- I meant to put it away. It was in the pot of daisies you sat on the porch yesterday." He got up and put it into a drawer. Back in bed, he took her finger and sucked the on the blood. "You got pricked." He started to laugh and she didn't crack a smile. "Someone has a fucking sick sense of humor, Dom, or that was some sort of warning. A black rose in the daisies? Glass in the sink?" She was getting louder and he pointed at the baby and she settled down but was still upset. "I'm scared." "I know, I know. I'll never let anyone hurt us -- you know that." "Will you change all the locks today? Someone obviously has a key -- who has keys to this house?" "Mia, Brian, Vince, Letty, Leon .... fuck babe, the whole team does." "Then don't bother to change them -- we'd have to give them out to all of them again. Could they have given any of them out? Were any of them pick pocketed or robbed lately?" "Not that I know of but that is a good thought." She looked at him strangely. "I mean, some nut could have picked up the keys from one of them -- at the garage or store, made a quick copy, and returned them before they knew they were missing. That garage gets busy and Mia is busy at the store so much. In fact, if you wanna know who I really think this is ..... I think it is maybe some chick I used to be with." "Who?" "Shit -- the stupid rose reminded me of her. I haven't thought of her in over a year or more. Long before I met you. Her name was Lizbeth and we went out maybe three or four times. It was just sex -- we didn't even go anywhere but her place after a race. I was cheating on Letty, as usual. She was really possessive and after those few times together, she thought it meant something -- or I guess it did to her although I never told her I loved her or promised her anything. In fact, I made it clear to her from the first night before I touched her that it was just sex, just for kicks and she agreed. When I told her I didn't want to see her anymore she just went nuclear -- screaming fight, scratching, pulling her own hair. She pretty much freaked me out and I tried to ban her from the races but she hooked up with some guy who kept bringing her but that never stopped her from coming on to me every time she saw me. She started leaving roses on the porch." "Black roses?" "No, but she thought she was gonna get me back then. I figure, if it is her, she's jealous about me and you and that little girl over there and all we have. This chick used to send me gifts in the mail, call me and hang up at least two dozen times a day and deny it when I asked her about it. Then one morning we woke up and the house smelled great -- she was downstairs all dressed up and cooking breakfast." Nikki stared at him. "And I thought I hooked up with freaks." "No shit. She was a nutcase. I'm gonna track her down with the help of Jesse and the internet and see what's up with her. But honey, suddenly I'm not too worried anymore. I'd be willing to bet anything it is Lizbeth and we'll change the locks today and tell the team what happened. Okay?" She kissed him quickly and then glanced over at the now sleeping baby. The sun was shining in, just warming her, she was in her husbands arms, and things would be right with the world again very, very soon. 


	2. Friends and Enemies

CHAPTER 3  
  
Several hours later Nikki and Dominic and their daughter had gone on a little shopping spree. He bought new locks, dead bolts, an alarm system, a new baby monitor, a little motion detector for the nursery, new flood lights for outside and then stopped at the store. Mia saw them and ran over, eager to get her hands on the baby. Dom stopped her and asked about the keys. She told him she couldn't be sure. She hung hers on a nail all the time and he saw it was well within reach of anyone who wanted it. He gave her the new key and told her to keep it in her purse or under the counter and that someone had broken into their house, probably an ex. She gave him a dirty look and leaned in the car. She kissed Nikki and the baby and went back inside the shop. Dominic was grabbing a fresh baby bottle that they stored in there now and two cold soda's for him and Nikki. "What did you want to talk about Mom?" "Later, okay? But it is serious and I need to do it soon." Dom looked into his little sister's eyes. "Mia, are you okay?" She looked sad and scared. "I will be, after we talk." "Brian?" "This is about Mom, not Brian -- he's great, Dominic, you know that." She smiled a little bit and he kissed her. "Come over after work and we'll bar-b-que and you and I will find time to talk." "Only if your psycho ex is gone and I get to put the baby to sleep!" She did smile this time and he was happy. Nikki and Dom went to the garage and everyone crowded around the super-star of the Toretto clan -- Miss Daisy. She was a star and seemed to know it at twelve weeks. She cooed and giggled at everyone, happy to be in her father's arms. "Nikki, damn woman, you look amazing. No one on earth would guess you had a baby 12 weeks ago -- hell, you looked amazing a week later. Now when you were gigantic...." Leon said and she smacked him in the arm. "A compliment and an insult in one sentence!" "Aww, c'mon -- even when you were just a little big (really gigantic) you looked hot. Right, Dom?" He gave Jesse the baby, who smiled at him in delight. Dom wrapped his arms around Nikki. "My wife? Always hot." He hugged her tight and watched Daisy smiling up at Jesse, who held her more gently than anyone else and loved holding her even more than Mia did. He was her Godfather and he took it very seriously. Dom told everyone what happened and there was a big roar of upset. He told them that neither he nor Nikki were overly concerned and gave them all new keys. They were all concerned until he told them it was probably Lizbeth. "She was one crazy bitch, dawg." "Yeah, no kidding, V." Letty asked Jesse for the baby and he reluctantly handed her over. There was no one on his team, no one in his family he didn't trust with his daughter. Letty giggled when the little infant pulled her hair and Nikki hand to untangle her fat little fingers. "She loves your hair, you know. I think it is the color -- so dark and shiny. But don't tell Mia I said that." Nikki said and Letty laughed. They sat down and Nikki handed Letty a bottle of water. "I love feeding her -- watching her eyes light up when she sees the bottle. She's like a little junkie." Both women laughed. "Do you think you and Vince will ever have a baby?" "Yeah, eventually. I really want one -- I've always wanted one -- did I tell you that?" "No." "Yeah, when I was sixteen I actually tried to get pregnant! Can you imagine?? What a dumbass I was!! Trying like crazy, talking him into not using condoms -- not that it worked but I put holes in them anyway hoping I'd get pregnant. I've just always loved babies." Nikki laughed at Letty's story but really, it wasn't that funny -- first of all, it was pretty sad that Letty wanted a baby at sixteen and second, it was Nikki's husband she was talking about. And she had put holes in condoms?? Just as she was about to say something she heard a lot of laughter and Dom came over. He took the baby out of Letty's arms. "Everyone is cool with everything. You got your new key, Let?" She smiled sweetly at him, putting her arm around Nikki's shoulder. "Got it. I hope I catch that little bitch at your place, Dom -- I'd love to kick her ass." "Let -- get over it. You and V .... remember?" "I don't mean 'cuz you were stepping out on me, I mean because she scared our girl here!" She hugged Nikki tight. Everyone was hyped to meet for the big grill.  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
When Dom and Nikki got home, he installed everything before it was time to light the grill. He was a fast worker when he was determined. She watched him from the nursery windows -- hanging the flood lights, changing the locks on the doors, then inside putting the new video monitor and motion detectors in. She watched his body moving in the tight wife beater and the low slung jeans. He finally finished and told her he was gonna take a hot bath before everyone started arriving for the bar-b-que. She had put the baby down for a nap only ten minutes before and knew she'd be asleep for at least an hour or more. Nikki stripped off her clothes slowly while he watched and got into the tub with him. He was very surprised and very pleased. "I take this to mean you feel safe now?" "Definitely -- look on the counter." They could see the little portable monitor and see Daisy sleeping peacefully in her crib. Dom was laying back in the hot bubbles and pulled her close to him, kissing her passionately. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, down lower to turn him on even more than he had been at the first sight of her nude, and then watched as she knelt up and got a hand full of shampoo. He leaned over and let her wash and massage his scalp and moaned -- it felt so damn good. No one knew how to touch him like Nikki did. She leaned over his shoulder and washed his back with a soft body sponge, as he let his hands move so slowly over her body, the muscles in her legs and in her back, up her midsection, over her tight ass. She slid back and kissed him all over his face, telling him how much she loved him, that he was her dream. That he didn't need to do anything -- that she was taking care of him all night tonight and although the grilling was his job, the rest of the night was also his gift, and she would be in charge. She kept whispering to him, all the things she was going to do to him -- to relax him, to turn him on, to make him forget everything except his own pleasure. She was driving him out of his mind slowly. He was ready to cancel the bar-b-que and call a babysitter. It was so leisurely and he totally gave into her control and when he lost his grip on reality, he was in his heaven taking her with him. She dried him in front of the mirror, she was still naked and dripping and he was starting to get interested again. "NO, we have guests coming." "I'm more interested in my wife." He lifted her and carried her into the bedroom bringing her to ecstasy. Would this end? Would this intense passion ever end? She didn't think so but wondered if they could live through it. She wasn't even fully into her prime -- how would Dominic live through that?? Suddenly something popped into her head. "Damnit, Dom, we didn't use any birth control!" He laughed. "Would it be so bad? You are the sexiest woman alive when you are knocked up with one of my gorgeous children." "No, it wouldn't be bad but I don't know if I want two so close in age. Daisy deserves her time." Nikki straddled him and he smiled, totally satisfied, laying back, his arms behind his head. She tickled his chest with her long auburn hair. "Speaking of birth control, did you know that when Letty was sixteen she was trying to get pregnant? She never mentioned a guy's name but I assume it is you. She said you wouldn't have anything to do with it so she was making holes in the condoms." Dom looked at her in shock. "You gotta be kidding me?" "No, she told me today at the garage. She was lost in memory when I asked her if she and Vince were gonna have a baby someday. I was sorta shocked, ya know -- I mean, you are my husband, but also, it is sorta sad -- wanting a baby at sixteen because you feel so unloved by your family. Thank God she had you guys." "Holes in condoms?? Nik, something is so wrong with this story but for some reason I can't quite grab it -- probably because you fucked my brains out and they are somewhere between here and the bathroom." She laughed. "Confusion, woman, I'm confused. I'll let you know when I remember." She started to get out of the bed and he grabbed her hand. "Honey, I remember -- sit down." "What?" "Letty can't have a baby -- I don't know why she told you all that shit." "Well, she was talking about when she was sixteen." "No, when she was fourteen years old her father did something horrible to her and she had to have a hysterectomy. That's why she came to live with us. She'll never have a baby. Why the hell did she tell you all that?" Dom was confused and Nikki looked sad. "You know, it might just be because she's still hurting. I mean, she loves Daisy so much. I didn't know so I just outright asked her if she was gonna have a baby with Vince. Maybe she didn't want to go into that horrible story. I wish I hadn't asked -- I feel bad. She and I have gotten so close." "Don't -- how could you know? Letty's had a hard life -- I'm glad she's so happy with Vince now." "Me, too."  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
The bar-b-que was a blast and went off without a hitch. Everyone had a great time and talked and laughed into the night, Daisy handed from person to person and then cradled in the massive arms of her father, sleeping soundly. Afterward, most of them crashed out on Dom and Nikki's living room floor or in the guest room. Vince and Letty were on the floor in the living room playing Playstation with Jesse and Leon and Mia and Brian had the guest room. It was loud but Daisy slept right through it -- when she was born, Nikki made the decision not to keep the regular noise in the house low -- she wanted Daisy to learn to sleep with the sounds of the family around her. It took no time at all -- Nikki believed it was because they were all together during her pregnancy. It was fun to all wake up together and Daisy loved it. All her uncles and aunts around -- she got off on all the people fussing over her. Mia had insisted on giving her her last bottle of the night and putting her down, claiming she needed all the practice she could get. Nikki still believed she was a natural mother and forced Dom to go up and talk to her about their mother. In the meantime, Nikki promised to check her own email.  
  
Dom walked into the nursery and found Mia with tears drying on her cheeks, rocking Daisy slowly to sleep. He lifted her out of Mia's arms and asked if she burped her. "I didn't know you could burp a sleeping baby?" Dom nodded yes, burped her, and laid her in her crib. He sat across from Mia. "Talk to me, honey. What's this about Mom? "I can't -- never mind." "Mia, you have told me every single thing in your life except when you couldn't because I wasn't available when I was in Vegas -- otherwise, I've heard every thought I think you've ever had ... well except the porn about Brian." They both laugh quietly. "We talked about girlfriends when you were little, we talked about boys when you were a teen-ager, I taught you how to drive and how to throw a football, I taught you how to do invoices and cook and do the store. I've always been here for you. I've beaten up guys who were bugging you. I'm your big brother and that hasn't stopped because you've got a husband and kid on the way. Talk to me, little angel." That nickname got to her and she smiled at him through her tears. "I always loved when you called me that -- I remember you calling me that when I was just a little girl." "That's because you always looked like one -- you still do, even with that gigantic tummy!" "Dom, I'm five weeks pregnant and you know it!!" He just waited and finally she gave in. "Do you think -- be honest, Dominic because I'm not playing -- that I'll be like mom? That I'll turn my back on my child like she did on us? Dom, I don't even remember Mom ever hugging or kissing me -- that was you that did that hugging and kissing. You signed my report cards if Dad was gone, you helped me with my homework, you hugged the nightmares away. What the hell happened with her Dom? Why did she hate us and why did she hang herself?" Dom closed his eyes. Her death was one subject that he had never shared with anyone, not even Nikki. Dom had found her -- she had been dead for hours, since they had left for school -- and he had found her in the old green house they had between the house and the little house Leon and Jesse lived in, which his father had destroyed a day later. "Mia, I think you will be the most amazing mother alive, next to Nik. You and Nikki will probably be written up in some journal somewhere as the world's best mom's and I'm laying it on thick, but little angel, I mean it, too. You are not anything like mom and I don't know what the hell was wrong with her. She acted like she hated us and I don't know why. I asked Dad once." He was quiet for a moment, he had never told her about this before. "You did -- what did he say?????" She was excited to hear a new piece of info about their mysterious mother. "He said she suffered from some sort of depression but it wasn't hereditary -- I had to look that one up. He said it was situational depression. I asked my doctor about it a few years ago -- I guess I was thinking the same thing you were but in a different way and he told me that it was probably caused by a chemical in her brain. Because she never saw a doctor and was never treated, it just got worse. It wasn't that she didn't love us, Mia, she didn't know how and was incapable because she didn't know what was going on most of the time. You are not her, Mia." Mia started to cry. "Am I like Mom with Daisy?" "No -- Dom you are such a great dad -- so sweet and gentle with her. I'm proud of you." "Then why would you be any different? Did you ever tell anyone how mom died?" She shook her head no. "Not even Brian?" "No, and I hate myself for it." "I haven't told Nik." Mia looked at him in shock. "I know, I tell her everything but not this. Maybe someday, but I'm not ready to discuss it -- it still hurts too much. Now you listen to me, little angel and you listen to me good -- you are so loving, tender, kind, compassionate and gentle. Look at Daisy -- she adores her aunt more than anyone other than her parents. She would rather be with you than anyone else. You are gonna be an awesome mom and you are NOT our mother. You are my Mia, mine -- and my Mia takes care of everyone, brings home strays, makes every place she is in a home, and loves everyone. Your child is lucky, Mia, and Brian is one lucky son of a bitch. Let it go, baby girl, be happy and let the joy of this inside you. You're gonna be amazing, I promise." "Promise?" "Cross my heart and hope to split my pants." They both laughed at the old saying they used to promise on. Mia hugged Dominic tight. He had chased away her tears, just like he chased away the bad boys and bad dreams. Suddenly they were interrupted by Nikki. "I'm so sorry to barge in like this, Mia. Dominic, you'd better look at this."  
  
CHAPTER 6  
  
Dom got up immediately, kissed Mia's head and asked her to stay with Daisy. He followed Nikki to the computer room. In her email was a message that read very simply:  
  
YOU GOT MY MAN, YOU GOT HIS BABY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE, COULD HAVE BEEN MINE IF THINGS TURNED OUT DIFFERENT, IT SHOULD HAVE ALL BEEN MINE. AND BY THE WAY, HE STILL LOVES ME AND IF WE HAD A FEW HOURS ALONE IN HIS BED, HE WOULD BE MINE AGAIN FOREVER.  
  
Dom read it over again and again and printed it and read it again. "Fuck. I know this is Lizbeth." "She's crazy. It's been too long for this kind of behavior to suddenly start again." "Not if she just moved back into town or found out about you or about Daisy. I honestly don't think she's dangerous, babe, I think she's just pissed off and it'll pass. She'll get bored and move on. Jesse will get the scoop on her." "You know, it kinda pisses me off that she thinks a few hours in bed with you would take you away from me. I'm your fucking wife -- I'm the best lay you've ever had. Where does this bitch get off????" Nikki was yelling, eyes blazing and Dominic leaned back and the chair and watched her pacing, smiling. She was so beautiful, even when she was angry and he was getting the biggest kick out of her jealousy. "She was pretty good in the sack." He said and she turned to him in an absolute fit of fury and suddenly burst into laughter. "You are such a bad boy!! I can't believe I just said all that -- I guess my being the epitome of cool sometimes is a bit of work when some woman is talking about my man." He laughed again and pulled Nikki onto his lap. "She was a lousy lay and Nik, you really are the best lay I've ever had. Ever. I'm gonna get a plaque made up for you "NIKKI TORETTO, THE BEST LAY DOMINIC TORETTO HAS EVER HAD!!" He was laughing and she giggled as he tickled her. "A++ IN STRIPPING, LAP DANCES, LONG SOFT KISSES, BLOW ...." "STOP!!!! She kissed him quickly to make him stop talking. They both had tears in their eyes from laughing so hard. Nikki got serious. "And if she doesn't move on?" "Then I'll help her move on." She didn't like the look in his eyes. "Dom, you have a family you are responsible for now. You can't go out looking for fights and for ......." "Oh, my wife. How I love that word. I meant, I'll call the cops. I'm keeping all the shit together. I even kept the broken glass and took pix of your arm when you were sleeping." She smiled at him. "Sneaky little bastard." "Damn straight. I've done a few other things while you've been sleeping too." He nuzzled her neck and she laughed, not knowing he was staring at the screen in front of him. Something was nagging him and he couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Yeah, but I woke up before you could finish those things!" They both laughed and when she asked about Mia he told her the truth, leaving out the part about his mother and her violent death. He trusted Nikki with his life but this was too painful and would give her pain knowing how much it hurt him. "She'll be a lovely mother." Dominic agreed with Nikki and hugged her close, still staring at the screen. Something in that message just kept yanking on him. "Do me a favor, sugar. Run down and get Jesse and let's see if we can find Ms. Lizbeth and put an end to her games." "Do you think that email address still exists?" "Let's find out." Dominic wrote a short and nasty note and pushed send -- it came back immediately that there was no known email address. "Figured that one. Get Jess for me, okay?" Nikki left and Dom went to the site that Jesse used most often. He was truly a computer genius as well as a car magician and could find anything. "How can I help you, Dom?" Dom got up and Jesse sat down. His fingers were moving already over the keys. "Find that bitch." 


	3. Friends and Enemies

CHAPTER 7  
  
It was late afternoon and Nikki was in the basement, the baby monitor with the motion detector on one hip and the monitor screen set up where she could see it. She had no music playing as she normally would -- she wanted to hear every sound in the house. She was working on her arms, using Dominic's lightest weights. She was using a video with the sound off -- it was a self-defense, muscle building video -- and she hoped she would never need any of the tricks they were teaching. She was just at the beginning, the weight training. The video got a lot more complex as it went on, she had read on the back -- straight to how to physically defend yourself against a man that outweighed you by one hundred pounds. Sorta made her laugh though, that was her husband -- Dominic was exactly one hundred pounds heavier than she was. She weighed one hundred and twenty-five before the baby and was one hundred and twenty-five now, although the weight was distributed differently. Dom loved it and that was what mattered. Suddenly the baby monitor went off -- the motion detector and she sprinted up the stairs, her heart beating so hard she could hear it in her ears. Her little girl ..... her Daisy. She flung the door open and everything was silent ... and then she saw it ..... there was a stuffed dog just inside the room. The movement sensor was beeping -- whoever had been in here had been frightened by the sound and left. She ran to the baby's crib, terrified her daughter would be gone, but she was sleeping soundly. Nikki picked her up and put her into her car seat, driving as carefully but as fast as possible to Dom. He was at the garage and she still couldn't stop her heart from screaming in her ears. She pulled up and flung her door open. "DOMINIC!!!" Everyone came running over except her husband. "WHERE IS HE??" "Honey, what's going on?? Dom went to Harry's for parts." Vince said, trying to take her in his arms. Jesse got into the car with the now screaming baby and lifted her out of the car seat and grabbed a bottle of milk from the diaper bag. Nikki pushed away from Vince and yanked her cell phone out of her purse. She dialed his number and heard it ring in the garage. "He must have forgotten it. What's up, honey?" "I need him right now, V. Right now!" Vince didn't say another word, he jumped into his car and took off. "Oh my God, it was so ugly and with my baby and ....." "Nikki, get it together, girl!! What is going on??" Letty was almost shaking her, a look of love and concern on her face. "I was in the basement and I had the baby monitor and didn't see anything but suddenly the ......" The sound of a race car came roaring into the garage. Dom got out with a look of fear on his face and Nikki sprinted across the ground and was up and into his arms. "She was in the house again, she was in the baby's room!!" She was screaming again and Dom put her down. "Where's Daisy?" "With Jesse in the car, Dom. He's giving her a bottle. Looks like she just woke up from a nap." Letty said, her arm around Vince's waist. Nikki was shaking so hard that Dom had to restrain her with his arms. "Shhhh, shhhh, baby, she's okay, it's okay." Nikki started to cry. "Tell me what happened. Leon, will you get her something cold to drink, please?" Leon brought back a bottle of water while Dom held and rocked her in his arms as if she was a child. "Okay, it's okay." Nikki drank a lot of the water, taking breaths in between. "What happened?" "I was in the basement and had the monitor and the motion detector and I didn't see anything in the baby's room -- my back must have been turned or something. Anyway, suddenly the motion detector went off and I ran up the stairs and threw open the baby's door and ...." Nikki started to cry harder and he pulled her to him again, hugging her tight. He could actually feel her heart beating through her breasts, through their clothes, right into his chest. She was absolutely petrified. "There was this stuffed dog right in the room and the motion detector was beeping. It must have scared her off. And I ran to the baby and ... oh God, Dom, she was just sleeping as peaceful as ever. That thing was in our child's room." Nikki was breathing too hard and he lifted her and carried her into the coolness of the garage office, motioning for Jesse to bring the baby. He took Daisy, who giggled at her Daddy and kissed her all over. Leon put his arms around Nikki and encouraged her to drink some more water and try and relax. "Honey, I think this little girl wants her mommy so you need to settle down. Can you do that for her and for me?" She nodded her head slowly, trying to get her breathing under control. Nikki reached for her daughter and put her on her shoulder, rocking her much the same way Dom was rocking her just a few minutes ago. Daisy was sound asleep within minutes. "Did you touch the dog?" "No!! It's so ugly -- Dom, it isn't a toy you'd give to a child -- it is like the black rose -- it's fucking vicious looking." Suddenly a look came over Nikki's face and everyone saw it. Dom reached down and grabbed the baby and handed her to Brian, who put her right back to sleep. "Oh my god ..... oh my god, Dominic." He pulled her up and took her back outside away from the baby. "Talk to me, lover." "She was in the fucking house when I was in the baby's room. The motion detector had just gone off -- I was up those stairs within seconds. She must have ducked into our bedroom or the bathroom. She could still be in our house -- I don't even know if I shut the door." Dom stared at her and pulled her tight against his chest. She listened as he yelled, the sound vibrating from him and through her. "Jesse, Vince, Leon, Brian, come here now." They all ran out and he asked where Daisy was. Brian told him that Letty and Mia had her. "Okay, we're all going over to the house. There's a good chance that bitch might still be in the house. Jess, I want you to stay with the girls and the baby, okay? Don't let anything happen to my daughter." "You know I'd die for her, Dom, she's my Goddaughter." Dom smiled at him and pulled Nikki away from his chest. "Go in with Jesse and take care of Daisy. I'm gonna fix everything, okay?" She just nodded and went inside. The guys got into two race cars and took off for Dom's house.  
  
CHAPTER 8  
  
Nikki was right -- she had left the front door wide open. They walked up slowly and Dom stopped them. He walked to his truck and opened it and got a gun out of the glove compartment, making sure it was loaded. Vince grabbed a shotgun from the back of his own car. "I can't fucking believe this is happening." They walked inside slowly. "If you are in my house, I suggest you come out of wherever you are right now because if I find you, I'm going to blow your brains out." Dom yelled and it was totally quiet in the house. He saw the motion detector on the floor -- it must have been flung out of Nikki's hand and picked it up. It was still beeping. "Brian and Leon, check downstairs and out back, Vince and I will go up. Bri, you packing?" They locked eyes -- Dom knew he carried a gun although he would have denied it in most every situation. Brian pulled a small gun out of a holster under his jeans. "Since this shit started, yeah. Mia's been jumpy." They walked downstairs and Vince and Dom split up and searched the first floor -- kitchen, living room, dining room, all closets. They went up the stairs slowly. Dom pointed to the guest bedroom and Vince took it while Dom went into the computer room. Both those and the bathroom were untouched. He walked into his bedroom and it looked fine, at first glance. "Shit, Dom, do you see ....." "Yeah." There was a black rose on the bed, right where he and Nikki slept. Dom felt his blood boiling inside him. "See the camera over there -- the Polaroid? Take a snap of it and put both in that drawer in the dresser." While Vince did that, Dom walked into the bathroom -- another rose in the shower. He called Vince in to take a picture of it. Now the nursery. This was going to give him a heart attack -- he was sure of it. Brian and Leon came up, telling Dom that nothing was downstairs or out of place -- just a self-defense video playing and some weights dropped -- two 4 pounders so they figured Nikki was working out. Dom let the idea of a self-defense video go through his head and stored it away for later. At the nursery door, it was still flung open. The dog was laying just inside, as Nikki had described. "That is one ugly fucking thing." Vince said and they all stared at it as if it was going to move. Dom turned off the motion detector and walked into the room. He didn't want to look in the crib but had to -- and knew what he would see before he did. "Well, that bitch came packing, too." There was another black rose along with a typed note. Dom read it without picking it up.  
  
SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE, DOM, AND WE BOTH KNOW IT.  
  
"I already got the camera, dude." Vince took a picture of the dog and then of what was in the crib and picked up the rose and note and put them in the dresser. The rest of the room was fine and Dom picked up the dog. "Let's take this nasty thing outside." They walked downstairs after Dom reset the motion detector and stopped to get a large kitchen knife. He sliced the ugly dog open, not even knowing what he might find and when there was nothing, he just started slashing it, cutting himself, until Brian and Vince restrained him. "Hurting yourself isn't going to help Nikki calm down." Leon came out with a garbage bag and put the dog into it. "Dom, give me your keys to the garage." Dom tossed them to him and Leon put the bag in where the charger used to be. He shut the door and relocked it. Brian brought four Corona's and the first aid kit out of the kitchen and they sat around the table. "Did Jesse find Lizbeth?" "Not yet, but he will -- I swear, that boy can find anyone and anything." Dom said, cleaning up his arm and finger. "Three times -- I was with her three times and not again. I told her it was over, I was kind to her -- I didn't treat her like trash. I fucking even told her at the beginning before we did anything I wasn't looking for a full-time thing or a girlfriend." "You already had one." Vince said, but he had a smile on his face. "Yeah, Letty girl -- she's a good girl, Vince. You treat her only about one thousand times better than I did." Suddenly Dom's cell phone rang. It was Nikki and he told her that everything was okay and he'd be back at the garage in a few minutes. "Let's get the hell out of here. Lock her up tight, guys." They left, cars roaring down the street, Dom's mind working hard. How was he going to protect his wife and baby from a woman he couldn't find? A woman who had the balls to be in his house when they were both home, when his wife was home?  
  
CHAPTER 9  
  
That night Nikki and Dom cuddled in bed, both wide awake. He didn't tell her about the roses, just about the dog. He also didn't mention the guns. "I saw that you were using a self-defense tape." "Yeah." "Nik -- this bitch is not physically going to go after either one of us, I truly believe that, or after Daisy. She's had opportunity, but didn't take it." "How did she get in this time? We have all new locks and the team are taking care of their keys?" Dom was quiet, he just didn't have an answer for this. He knew he had checked all of the doors and windows and nothing was capable of being opened easily. "I don't know, baby. All I can figure is that we somehow left a door or window unlocked or she has the ability to jimmy a window." Dom nuzzled his face into her hair and she kissed his shoulder, running her fingers up the back of his neck. He moaned and looked up at her. "I was thinking something. Why don't we go on vacation -- just the three of us? We'll pack up and go to Mexico or fly out east -- just go." "No way." Dom was shocked at her answer, he thought she'd jump on it. "I am not, absolutely not letting some little slut scare me out of my own house. She can scare me but not make me run -- it's gonna take more than this." Dom smiled at her -- she could be so frightened and yet so territorial and so tough. He admired that so much in her. "Nik, there is a race tomorrow night and I'm going to go." "Are you racing?" Nikki felt her blood run cold -- she would never tell him not to do it, but it made her think of how his father had died. "Hell no -- with you and Daisy to take care of, with boys to beat up in the future, with a wife to fuck every night?" They both laughed. "I want to look for Lizbeth -- Jesse is having trouble finding her." "I'll go with you -- we'll leave the baby with Mia." "No, I think I should ...." "Yeah, go alone and no, you aren't and don't even try and give me a shit load of reasons because I'm coming with you or I'll drive myself over there." "You don't even know where the race is." He was laughing -- she was so damn tough with him, she handled him so well and he loved her for it. "Like I couldn't charm it out of Jesse or Vince or Leon or Brian. Please, don't even play that." Dom started to slowly untie the lace that held her nightgown together. "You are one charming little spoiled woman. That's the problem, you know -- you need a good spanking." She laughed and pushed him away. "You spank me, you aren't gonna be using that thing you admire so much for a long, long time." He laughed and edged his way back to the lace tie, pulling more of it apart. "Nikki, Nikki, Nikki -- we both know you are spoiled. I can't say no to you -- what man could?? Damn, woman, look at this fine body!!" He had the tie opened now, revealing her breasts and stomach down to her waist. He pushed it open further and kissed her stomach. "I still can't believe that incredible person we created together grew here. I'm amazed by you, Nikki -- everything about you amazes me still." She caressed his head and then the phone rang. "Damnit." He reached around her and picked it up -- no one was on the line. Dom hung up and did a *69 and it said the call was untraceable. "Don't even start this shit." "No one there, huh?" Nikki sat up in bed, pulling the sheet up around her. "I'm going to check on the baby." "Turn off the motion detector, babe." The phone rang again and then again. He was yelling into it that she needed to stop this shit and get a life. He finally took the phone off the hook after the 10th ring and put his head in his hands, sitting up in bed. Why did things have to be so screwy? Lizbeth was nothing to him, she never had been and now she was playing with them. He was so infuriated and ..... Dom's thoughts were suddenly halted when he felt his wife's tongue slowly moving up the back of his neck and to his scalp. She licked him slowly and he moaned, reaching back for her. "God, Nikki, I fucking love when you do that. C'mere." He pulled her on top of him and kissed her long and hard. "I love you, I love you." "Oh, Dom ... don't stop, don't stop loving me, don't stop touching me, don't stop any of this -- not ever."  
  
CHAPTER 10  
  
Dominic and Nikki dropped Daisy off at Brian and Mia's without telling them where they were going. They both had their cell phones and privately, Dom made sure Brian had his weapon and that it was loaded. They had borrowed Leon's race car because he wasn't going to go tonight and wanted to fit in as much as possible. "Describe her to me." "Fuck. Um, she had long blonde hair and big tits, " "Naturally." "No, honey, not nature, silicone." They both laughed. "She was about five foot four and around one hundred pounds -- I suppose that's why she needed the silicone -- too skinny. I have no idea what color her eyes were." "Was she a natural blonde?" "NIK!" He hated this conversation -- they never discussed past lovers, they kept all that in the past. "No, why?" "Because she might be a brunette now. Would you recognize her if she was?" He realized that Nikki was more than serious about this -- she was determined to find this woman. "I think so -- she made herself known at the races so if she is back, and I'm sure she is, she's probably the same way. Tight clothes, mini skirts, high heels -- basic skank as Letty called her more than once to her face." Dom wished he hadn't hurt Letty as much as he had -- he did love her but never felt passion for her. The sex was good but she never touched his soul. With Nikki, even if the sex had to stop for some reason, his soul would still crave her. Dom pulled the car between the large buildings and Nikki was amazed at what she was seeing. The amount of cars and people -- at least 50 cars and 100 people or more. She couldn't believe it. She had never been to a race like this in her life and was stunned. And to think that Dom had been the king of these streets before he gave it up. He was smiling and she stared at him. "Do you miss it -- the racing? The glory?" He thought it over for a minute. "Sometimes. It was a big adrenaline rush, you know? And no one could beat me and that was pretty cool. But if I weigh the consequences, no, I don't. I love what I have right now. Did I ever tell you why I raced?" He glanced at her as they drove slowly through the crowd, people tried to see in the windows and figured it was Leon. "I remember Brian saying something about you feeling free -- the only time you felt free." "Yeah, but it isn't like that anymore. The day we met at that casino I felt totally free for the first time, totally alive and this .... this adrenaline and glory didn't compare with what I was looking at." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, whispering her love for him. "Dom, don't ever hold back for me -- not ever. Promise you won't. If you want to race again, don't ..." "Nik, I watched him burn to death. Daisy will never go through that and neither will you. End of the story, okay?" They got out of the car and Dom was immediately surrounded and lost in the crowd. People were practically cheering his name. My god, he was the king of the streets, she thought to herself. Nikki felt herself being pushed and moved so people could get to him. She heard Dom's throaty laughter and smiled as she leaned against the car, looking for Lizbeth. "Hi, aren't you Nikki?" A man came over and she smiled at him. "I'm Hector -- remember, we met once at Harry's -- you were pregnant -- really pregnant in fact!" They both laughed. "I remember. How are you, Hector? It's good to see you again." "I'm great, but how are you? Was it a boy or a girl?" Nikki felt her back go up -- she didn't want to discuss her baby here. She was suddenly frightened and wanted Dom. "I'm good -- Hector, can you help me get through this crowd to Dom?" He smiled and grabbed her hand, leading her way. "Mrs. Toretto coming through -- step aside -- the queen of the street's king!" Nikki laughed and was pleased to be put right in front of her husband. Dominic lifted her right into the air. "See what you get when you stop racing?" Everyone yelled and cheered and she kissed him. "Now you know and you can stop asking -- we're just here to enjoy the sights." The crowd started to disburse as people started making their bets. Nikki was amazed at the incredible cars, the different people, the huge amounts of money being bet. "What is the most you ever won in a race?" "In one race?" She nodded, leaning her back against his chest. "Each one of us bet ten large -- there were four cars." "Holy shit!" She laughed. "Dominic, is she here?" "I haven't seen her yet or asked. I didn't want to scare her off if she is around, and I'll bet you she is." His arms were still wrapped tight around her, hung low on her waist. "Hector asked about the baby -- I didn't want to tell him. I hate feeling like this -- scared, protective, pissed off -- all at the same time." "Babe, do you still have that butterfly knife? I know you said you'd throw it away after that shit with Johnny Tran, but do you?" She nodded. "It's in my back pocket." Dominic reached around and felt the knife and then her ass. She giggled and turned to him and he lifted her again and kissed her, passionately. "What was that for?" "A little show in case we're being watched by our visitor." They kissed again and Dom put her down gently. "And, cuz I wanted to -- you got a problem with that, Mrs. T?" "Absolutely not." She leaned against him again and the race was decided. "Are we going?" "Do you want ...." Suddenly his cell phone rang. He ducked toward the back of the car to hear. Nikki stood watching the crowd and as everyone started to get into cars to go and race. It was amazing and she now totally understood how much he must have loved it. She turned and Dom was gone. She was absolutely still and totally paralyzed with fear when she suddenly saw him in the car. She remembered he was having trouble with his phone battery and plugged it into the lighter. She walked over to her side and stopped. Spray painted in hot pink on her side of Leon's car was the word BITCH in huge letters. She knocked on the window and Dom held his hand up. Nikki knocked again and this time he got out. "That was Jesse and he .... what's wrong?" "She was here." "Who -- no honey, she wasn't. Jesse found out that Lizbeth died three months ago from some sort of cancer." "Dom -- come over here." Dom walked around the car and stopped. He reached into Nikki's back pocket and pulled out her cell. He dialed Mia's house. "Brian take the baby and Mia and drive to the garage. Use your key, go in and lock up and don't turn any lights on. No, I'll explain when I get there. Call everyone else and tell them to meet us there. What? Oh, I didn't know that -- how long has she been gone? When is she coming back? Good, tell her to be there." He hung up. "Nikki, Nikki?" She was staring at the car in shock. "NIK!" "What? We need to get home to the baby and ..." "Get in the car now." He opened the door and a dozen of the black roses fell out. He didn't even see them because they were between the door and the passenger seat. She backed up so fast she almost fell and he caught her with one arm. He made sure all the roses were out, physically put her in the car and picked them up gently. He put them in the back and took off for the garage. She wasn't saying a word. "We're going to the garage -- Brian is there with the baby and everyone." "Did I hear you say that Lizbeth is dead?" She was totally lost in thought and completely terrified. There was no way he was taking her back to the house tonight. "Yeah, cancer three months gone. Nikki, are you okay?" "NO, I'm not fucking okay!! There is a psycho who is playing mind games with us and you and I are just bait and god knows what our baby is to her or him. Fuck. This person was at the race, was right next to the car we were leaning on and managed to do this shit. This isn't some sort of crime of passion or jealousy or revenge -- this is sick." He put his hand on her leg and she was tempted, just for a moment to push it off. She was so angry and then burst into tears. He pulled the car over and pulled her into his arms. She cried and hugged him and soon flipped the button on the seat to make it slide back, she straddled him, and it was hot and wild, both of them covered in sweat -- it was almost violent. "Wow -- that was ..." "Yeah, it was." He just looked at her, still on top of him. Her skirt was pushed up, her blouse was actually torn open and he had scratches that would take a week to heal, but this was nothing like the night they got pregnant with Daisy -- this was a release of fear and terror and energy they couldn't use the way they needed to. "I love you, baby." When she just stared at him and didn't say anything back, it triggered something in his head, something way in the back of his mind. This was like a puzzle coming together so slowly it was driving him crazy. "Nikki, I said ..." "I love you, Dom, I love you so much. You and Daisy are my entire life. I am wiped out from that -- you are, without a doubt, the greatest lover -- even when it isn't exactly .... well, I don't know what exactly that was but it was damn incredible." He laughed into her ear. "I wanted to go directly to the garage but I think we're gonna have to get you changed. Sorry I ripped that right off you." "You are not." He smiled at her with that smile she absolutely could not resist. "No, I'm not -- you got great tits, kiddo." She slid off him and he drove them to the house. She ran up the front steps, trying to hold her blouse together and having little luck. "Been ravaged by an animal, Mrs. Toretto?" He asked and she pushed him and he pulled her to him and kissed her with the same passion, but with all the sweetness they left out before. "Oh, that's a common occurrence around here, Mr. Toretto." Dominic opened the door and stopped and Nikki walked right into his back. Their entire living room was covered in the same pink spray paint. "What?" She walked around him and he tried to stop her, even lifting her and taking her outside. "Nothing -- let's just go and I'll give you a tee-shirt at the garage. I want to see the baby." "You can never lie to me, not even about something small and you know that. You certainly can't lie to me about something big." She rushed past him and stopped in the middle of the living room. "Oh my god." The words on their walls were of pure hatred, calling both Nikki and Dom horrible names, threats and up the stairs on the wall it said "DAISY, DAISY, DAISY". Nikki started to scream and Dom called Brian immediately. "Are you with everyone? Stay there. No, she'll be okay -- I'll explain when we get there." Dom grabbed Nikki and shook her and she stopped screaming. "The baby is fine. Let's get changed and go. Upstairs Nikki ran to the nursery -- it was destroyed -- the crib was upside down, the wallpaper pulled off the walls, the rocker slashed to pieces, all the toys and stuffed animals were destroyed. Dom lifted his wife and took her into their bedroom but stopped. He pushed her against the wall and held her tightly there. "What is it?" The flash of anger in his eyes was so vicious that she stayed still. "Come with me." He took her into the guest room and sat her on the bed. "Don't move Nik, I mean it." He came back with one of his tee-shirts and a pair of her shorts. "Get dressed and I'll be right back. Do not come into that room." He left her and Nikki got dressed slowly, wondering what had frightened and infuriated him so greatly. Dom walked back into their bedroom. He read the message three times. Why had she done this? It was so obvious now -- the notes, the flowers, the dog. It all made sense -- why the hell hadn't he put it all together sooner?? What had happened to her to make her snap like this? Dom grabbed the cell phone again and called Brian. "Brian, I want you to do exactly what I'm telling you and don't ask any questions. I need you, brother. Take the baby, put her in your car and leave Mia and everyone at the garage. Drive to the store and Nik and I will meet you there. No, don't bring Mia -- don't even talk to them -- just tell them you need formula or diapers or some shit. Now, Brian. Right now." Dom hung up and walked back to his wife. "Let's go get our daughter." 


	4. Friends and Enemies Chapter 11 to End

CHAPTER 11  
  
Dominic and Nikki sat in her Benz on the side of the shop, waiting for Brian. "Dom, what did you see in our bedroom?" "I don't want to talk about it, babe. I just want that little girl in our arms and to get to a hotel tonight. Do me a favor, turn off my cell." She reached down and turned it off. Hers was still on and the battery was charged. "As soon as Brian gets here, we're going to drive around, I'm going to get out and get the baby and we'll split. But I don't want you out of the car, I don't want you to speak to him." "I don't understand any of this!!" "YOU DON'T FUCKING HAVE TO RIGHT NOW. DAMNIT NIK, DON'T PUSH ME RIGHT NOW." Dom had never yelled at her before and it left her terrified -- not of him at all but of what he must have seen in their bedroom, of what he found out. "Fuck -- I'm sorry, baby, but please." "It's okay, I trust you, honey." She put her hand gently on his thigh and he squeezed hers. Brian pulled in and Dom pulled around the corner of the store. Nikki sat silently in the car and prayed as she watched Brian hand over the baby. He barely spoke to Brian, just grabbed the diaper bag and got into the car. He locked the doors and drove away before she even had a chance to buckle the car seat. The baby was sleepy and was asleep within minutes. Nikki had a thousand questions to ask him but didn't say a word. Her phone rang and as she went to answer it, Dom put his hand on her leg. "Nik, turn off your phone." "But it's ..." "Our family is right here -- you and me and Daisy -- turn it off now." Nikki turned the phone off and threw it in her purse. He stopped at a convenience store and bought all new bottles and formula as well as diapers and everything else he could think of and then threw out the entire diaper bag. Nikki was totally startled. "Dom ..." "Not right now, sugar. When we get to the hotel, after a little while, I promise. Your battery is still hot?" "Yeah, should I charge it?" He nodded and she plugged it in. He drove into Beverly Hills and got them a suite at the Château Marmont. She kept quiet, holding the baby for a long time while he ordered them dinner without asking her what she wanted. She put Daisy down in the crib the hotel provided and noticed the waiter thanked "Mr. Richardson". Oh, what was going on -- Nikki didn't know how much she could take of this silence. He looked at her. "I put us under another name, if you need anything. Richardson. I forgot to tell you. And I don't want to talk yet, okay?" She nodded and walked out of the room and back into the bedroom and watched Daisy sleep. Suddenly Dom wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry." "Please ... please talk to me." He led her out of the room and held out a chair for her where their dinner was. "Let's eat first. Neither one of us has had anything since lunch and we're gonna be up at six with Ms. Early Riser." Nikki tried to eat the delicious filet mignon but it didn't have any taste -- nothing did. "I can't -- I'm sorry." Dom hadn't eaten much of his dinner either. "Baby, I know who is doing this but I don't know why or what to do and I feel like a fucking loser for not figuring this out sooner." "Who and why did you get rid of the formula and what was in our room and ..." "Nik, come with me." He smiled and stood up and sat with her on one of the plush couches. He pulled her into his strong arms "Let me tell you slowly and settle down -- let's not wake her again tonight, okay?" She nodded. "It's Letty, honey. It's fucking Letty." "No, it can't be ... she loves Daisy, she and I are friends and ...." "I know it's her. It all fits -- Nik, Letty can't have a baby. And the black roses? Letty has a black rose tattooed on her ass -- I can't believe I didn't remember right away but I haven't thought of her ass in a long time." Nikki smiled through shocked tears. "I guess that is a plus." "Yeah, it is." Dom kissed her. "The dog -- she always called me a dog when I cheated on her -- it was like my second name. And even the pink spray paint -- Letty used that for a tag when she was growing up -- you'd see it on a telephone poll or wall and know it was Letty's work. She's always had a key to the house. Even the email about what should have been hers -- Letty has always said that kind of shit -- what should have been hers, what she was missing. She did tell me once she wanted to have my baby but she'd be willing to adopt or even use a surrogate and I told her I wasn't interested. Even that shit about being back in my bed -- it's her. And tonight, when I called Brian, he told me that Letty had gone to visit her mom and said she'd be back before the race was over. Well, what the fuck does that mean? First of all, Letty hates her mom with passion and wouldn't even go to the woman's funeral if she died -- she'd have a party, not that I'd blame her for that. And second, how would Letty know when the race was over if she was visiting her mom who lives all the way in Glendale? It just didn't hit home -- too much shit was going on all the time." "Did you throw away the diaper bag and formula because you think she was trying to hurt our daughter?" "I don't know what she's up to. Brian said she was at the garage." "Our bedroom?" "I don't want to tell you, Nikki." He looked her right in the eye and she was shocked that he was serious. "Dominic! How can you not tell me what is in our bedroom?" "Because Letty knows something about me that you don't and I didn't tell you and didn't want you to know. Fuck." Dom got up and got a beer out of the mini bar and asked her if she wanted one, she shook her head no. He drank all of it in almost one long swallow and got another. She was rather shocked. "Can't we skip this -- I know it is Letty and I'm gonna take care of it and of her somehow." Nikki looked away from him and outside at the lights shining in the curtains of the balcony. This was the first secret he had kept from her and although she had kept some from him when they first met, she had told him. He was keeping her in the dark about something that Letty knew -- it was driving a wedge between them and she could feel it already. "It's fine -- whatever. We've always agreed that the past stays in the past so have this secret with Letty and do whatever you need to get her away from my daughter. I am going to bed." Nikki started to walk out of the room and Dom grabbed her arm. She shook him off. "Goodnight, Dominic." She walked into the dark bedroom, checked on Daisy and stripped off her clothes. She went into the bathroom, left the lights off and got into a hot shower. He got in with her minutes later. He was behind her and she didn't turn around. "Listen, just because you've got a hard on doesn't mean I am in the mood right now. I'm tired and I'm angry and I'm trying not to be. Have a few more beers and go to bed, Dom." She kept her back to him. Then suddenly she heard it, a long sigh filled with the deepest mourning and grief. She turned to him to discover tears in his eyes. "Dom! What?" "She hung herself." "Letty?" Nikki was so confused. "No, not fucking Letty -- my mom. Oh God, Nik -- " Dom sat down in the shower and she turned off the water, kneeling between his well muscled legs. "When I was a kid something happened to my mom -- emotionally she just shut down -- remember hearing Mia talking about our Mom turning her back on us?" Nikki nodded, running her hands on his arms and cheeks, trying to give him support. Here she thought he and Letty shared some sort of sexual secret or something else -- not this. "She just turned off and we were left alone and I had to take care of Mia and then Letty too when my dad wasn't home. One day we all went to school and I got out earlier than they did because I used to cut my last two classes and I found her. We used to have a green house in the backyard and she was hanging in there. She had been dead all day." Dom broke down into tears and Nikki wrapped her arms around him, pulling her close to him. This tub was not as big as theirs and they were pushed tightly together. "Oh fuck, what am I doing? Let's get out of here -- you're going to catch a cold." He got up and pulled her up, too. They slid into bed and he told her the rest. "That was why Mia wanted to talk to me -- she's afraid she'll turn away from her child like our mother did. And what Letty left in our bedroom --- was a --- - " "Dom, don't -- don't -- it's okay, I don't have to know, I'm not mad at you." She kissed him all over his face, kissing away tears that were there, that he had been holding back for so many years. "She left a doll hanging and it had a note on it that said 'Your mother died because you couldn't take care of her. You can't take care of that bitch and your baby either. You should be taking care of me.' And I knew right then it was Letty. I can't believe it took me so long to figure this all out." Nikki was crying now and Dom held her. "It's all lies, you know that. You couldn't take care of your mother and you are taking care of me. You couldn't take care of your mother and you are taking care of me. No one in my entire life has ever taken care of me but you, Dominic, and you are the most wonderful father. And if all this sex we've been having hasn't created a second child in the Nikki/Dominic household, I'll be amazed." He laughed and offered to try again. "Wait -- what do we do about Letty?" "I'm going to call Vince now and her mom. Someone's got to have her committed again." "Again?" "Another fucking secret, but I swear, it is the last one and I only didn't tell you about it because you two were finally becoming friends. Letty had to be put in the psych ward for a few months when I went to jail. She just snapped. That's why I'm so angry I didn't see it coming or realize who it was right away." "That poor girl -- she has had such a rough life." "I didn't make it any easier, either." "You know you did -- you weren't the best guy to her, but Dom, you did give her love and friendship and attention. She's just still in love with you, and probably with Vince, too. Why don't you go and make the calls and I'll keep the bed warm." He got up and turned to her. "And keep yourself warm too -- I want another baby, woman and I am king of this castle and what I want goes!" She threw a pillow at him and laughed. Another baby?? But then she looked at her daughter, so gorgeous, so perfect. A little brother or another girl? It didn't matter, it would be Dom's baby and that was all that did matter to Nikki. Her husband and her child and more .... she couldn't think of a better life.  
  
CHAPTER 12  
  
"It's a boy!! I've got a son!!" Brian was screaming in the waiting room and the entire team crowded around him, Dom hugging his brother-in- law. Nikki came out, rubbing her back.  
  
In another part of the hospital, Letty sat staring at Vince. She hadn't said one word in seven months. No matter how much therapy or drugs they used, they couldn't break the spell she was under. Everyone on the team came to visit, even Dom and Nikki, but it did no good. She was lost in a world all of her own.  
  
Back in the nursery they all crowded around the newborn and Brian. "You know, watching her give birth and all that pain and gross stuff, I think I've changed my mind about a second baby." Nikki said and Dom laughed and rubbed her rounded stomach. "I think you're about seven months too late for that thought, girl." He kissed her tenderly. "But we can discuss it when we're ready for number three!"  
  
THE END 


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